Swept Away
by magnolia-bunny
Summary: Perhaps it was because he made a thoughtless wish, perhaps it was just time for her to return. Noriko is swept from one world to another once more, this time with Izark in tow. Nothing more than fluff.


Title: Swept Away Oneshot (1241 words) From Far Away (Izark/Noriko)

Rating: K+ Warnings: none

Summary: Perhaps it was because he made a thoughtless wish, perhaps it was just time for her to return. Noriko is swept from one world to another once more, this time with Izark in tow. Nothing more than fluff.

A/N: For cookiecrunchybananamunchy on Tumblr who wanted Izark and Noriko on the metro. Thanks for the request!

Noriko knelt on a bed of golden moss, looking up worriedly at the sky. She and Izark had travelled to the Sea of Trees, intent on celebrating their anniversary by returning to the place where they had begun. It had been four years, and her memory did not do the beauty of the golden forest justice. She should have been more excited, but over the course of their journey, it seemed as if a storm was following them. Great clouds, deep grey and awash with the pastel tones of the setting sun were both beautiful and terrifying.

"Maybe we should go," the young woman commented.

Izark smiled at her. "I already told you, there is no way the storm will catch up to us until tonight."

She shook her head. The Sea of Trees was _beautiful_. Noriko had been told that the colours were seasonal. There were only a few weeks a year when they were at their best, shining a deep, gorgeous gold that was almost metallic in nature. The scene was lovely, and familiar, much like something out of a dream. Irk was even keeping the monsters at bay as a favour to them, through some spiritual power he seemed to have. It was the best place to celebrate their anniversary, but there was still an unpleasant feeling creeping along her senses that she was unable to shake. The feeling reminded her of a day out with her friends, of sunshine and laughter, of the feeling of an explosion rushing against her body, sending her catapulting from one world to the next.

Needless to say, it set her on edge.

Izark stood, took her hand, and pressed a chaste kiss to her mouth.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Home."

"I wish I could experience the things from your world. I could send you there." Though he offered, his grip on her tightened, at odds with his words.

She looked back to the sky and gasped. The clouds rushed towards them with unnatural speed. Their grey shifted rapidly to a glittering gold. They rushed over the unexpected pair like a tidal wave, pulling them out to sea.

His arms tightened around her. The world exploded in a mass of colour and sensation that set the hair on her arm on edge. There was a brief feeling beneath them, like a rug being tugged out from under them, and then they were slipping, falling through the earth. For Noriko the experience was somewhat familiar, but for her counterpart it was completely unexpected.

The gold faded away, leaving them in a rapidly lifting fog. Noriko took in her surroundings with tears in her eyes. She would have collapsed against Izark in relief if she wasn't so excited. They were in the metro!

The station was mostly quiet at this time of night. She moved towards the wall, where a map of the system was posted beside a brightly lit vending machine. Izark's hand grasped hers in a panic, his face caught in a rare expression of anxiety.

"Where are we?"

"Tokyo."

She tugged him back towards the map, her eyes raking the routes hungrily. In four years, she had never forgotten how to read them.

The walls rattled. A warning sound cried down the almost empty tunnel. Izark pulled Noriko behind him, putting her against the wall. She smiled sweetly at an elderly woman sitting on a bench further down the line, who in turn eyed the couple distrustfully.

"It's Ok," she whispered. She squeezed his hand in comfort and stepped around him, pulling him behind her. It felt surreal. "This is our train."

He followed her stiffly. Clinging to her with all the uncertainty of a child and repeating his question.

"Where are we?"

"My world."

Noriko could practically see the wheels turning in his head. He was looking around them worriedly, trying to take in everything that there was to see. The train started and she swayed unsteadily. He caught her and pulled her back to him.

She followed his gaze to a young man leaning against the far wall. Green hair fell around a pink face and a pair of dark eyes looked back at them curiously. He had dark clothes, and a number of piercings. He didn't seem unfriendly, just curious. "Stop staring!" she whispered urgently.

He pressed one hand against the glass while the tunnel raced away beside them. The lights flickered briefly.

"We're on the metro. It is how you described it."

Yep!"

He pulled a piece of her hair between his fingers and twirled it with a small smirk on his face. "Does everyone in Tokyo have colourful hair?"

"No! I mean, I don't think so." She bit her lip. It was all familiar, but there were little things that were off. The colours of the train had changed. The style that a couple of high school kids in the corner wore were completely different from what hers had been when she left. The skirts were shorter, their hair sleeker. They looked more... polished.

"A lot can change in a few years."

The train stopped briefly and the teenagers got off, giggling and sending them odd looks. Noriko looked down at her own clothing, picking at it self-consciously. Her face heated up, and she looked up to Izark, waiting for whatever teasing remark he was going to make, but he was looking away, his interest captured by a middle aged man who stepped on the train with a phone to his ear.

"I'm sorry I can't be home for dinner," the man was saying in quick, urgent tones. "I know, I know. I'm sorry you waited. I just had a lot to finish at the office."

"Who is he talking to?"

"He's talking into a phone. It looks different than the one that I had. There's no flip screen."

Izark looked around more urgently. Another man had stepped onto the train, catching his attention. "Why is he wearing a face covering?"

"It's a surgical mask. It keeps others from getting contaminated when you're ill."

He shuffled her further back toward him, gripping not quite hard enough to hurt her, but enough that it was uncomfortable. She realized suddenly that it was the same as it had been four years ago, but in reverse. Izark didn't understand what the man on the phone was saying. He didn't know how the metro worked outside of what she had told him. He was dressed in a way that attracted attention and was confused and probably feeling a bit defensive. In their abrupt transportation, he had even left his sword behind.

"It's OK," she chided. "I know where we are." She leaned up to press a light kiss to his mouth, smiling when he pressed back into her. The lady in the corner smiled sweetly and tried to busy herself with checking over her grocery list.

"I wanted to see your world."

"You did."

"It's weird."

She giggled and smacked his chest playfully. "It's _different_."

His expression matched hers when the doors dinged for the fourth time and they exited the train, following the path up through halls decorated with graffiti and movie posters. They trudged up into the cool night air, hand in hand, ready to explore her world. Together.


End file.
